Publications of the Research Unit Digital Economy

  1. ZEW Discussion Paper No. 21-103 // 2021

    Combating Online Hate Speech: The Impact of Legislation on Twitter

    We analyze the impact of the Network Enforcement Act, the first regulation which aims at restraining hate speech on large social media platforms. Using a difference-in- differences framework, we measure the…

  2. ZEW Discussion Paper No. 21-101 // 2021

    Transitions From Offline to Online Labor Markets: The Relationship Between Freelancers’ Prior Offline and Online Work Experience

    An emerging stream of research from various disciplines studies online labor market (OLM) platforms as an alternative way of accomplishing work compared to traditional (offline) labor markets. Although prior…

  3. ZEW Discussion Paper No. 21-098 // 2021

    Imperfect Information About Consumer Rights: Implications for Efficiency and Distribution

    This paper shows that the provision of consumer rights can decrease welfare when some consumers remain ignorant of these rights. We find that consumers uninformed about a mandated warranty demand excessively…

  4. Discussion and Working Paper // 2021

    Firms Going Digital: Tapping into the Potential of Data for Innovation

    This paper aims to help policy makers understand and improve the conditions for firms to thrive in an increasingly digital economy where data has become an important resource for innovation. The paper: 1)…